Conduit for using only at one end of, and for mildly defrosting, an evaporator without causing excessive heat to affect the evaporator or occupants in proximity to the evaporator

ABSTRACT

A conduit used only at one end of, and mildly defrosting, an evaporator without causing excessive heat to affect the evaporator in proximity to the evaporator. A tube includes at least one central passageway, at least one peripheral passageway, and at least one intermediate passageway. A refrigerant flows through the at least one peripheral passageway. A hot refrigerant gas flows through the at least one central passageway, and blends with the refrigerant flowing through the tube so as to form a defrosting blend. The defrosting blend defrosts along the full length of the tube, which occurs very rapidly due to contact of the hot refrigerant gas on the way to the end of the tube and then back through the at least one intermediate passageway of the tube as the blend.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A. Field of the Invention

The embodiments of the present invention relate to an evaporator conduit, and more particularly, the embodiments of the present invention relate to a conduit for using only at one end of, and for mildly defrosting, an evaporator without causing excessive heat to affect the evaporator or occupants in proximity to the evaporator.

B. Description of the Prior Art

Evaporators, cooling coils, and heat exchangers are used in various applications in the HVAC/R industry for the purpose of cooling, chilling, or freezing. In doing so, temperatures surrounding these devices tend to freeze moisture being removed by the evaporators, thereby reducing their efficiency, and thereby increasing the cost of operation and negatively affecting the quality of the product or the comfort of the occupants in the case of comfort cooling applications.

To solve the problem, the evaporators have to be defrosted so as to operate as efficiently as possible. Many types of defrost methods have been tried over time, including electric elements, hot refrigerant—hot-gas, hot water, and reversing the cycle in the case of a heat pump application. In the past, there have been disadvantages and high operational costs due to the use of these methods.

Numerous innovations for heat exchangers have been provided in the prior art, which will be described below in chronological order to show advancement in the art, and which are entirely incorporated herein by reference thereto. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, nevertheless, they differ from the embodiments of the present invention in that they do not teach a conduit for using only at one end of, and for mildly defrosting, an evaporator without causing excessive heat to affect the evaporator or occupants in proximity to the evaporator.

(1) U.S. Pat. No. 1,701,617 to Hyde.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,701,617—issued to Hyde on Feb. 12, 1929—teaches a tube including separately formed longitudinal sections providing separate and distinct passages for the tube, and apparatus for holding the sections together to complete the tube and to provide extended radiating surfaces on the exterior thereof.

(2) U.S. Pat. No. 3,777,502 to Michie, III et al.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,777,502—issued to Michie, III et al. on Dec. 11, 1973 in U.S. class 62 and subclass 55—teaches a method of simultaneously transporting liquid and gas within a pipeline, so that the gas serves as an insulator for the liquid and as a sealant for the liquid in case of pipeline failure. A liquid passage is supported substantially axially with respect to an outer gas passage, so that the gas flows annularly of the flowing liquid.

(3) U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,129 to Silver.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,129—issued to Silver on Aug. 24, 1976 in U.S. class 165 and subclass 154—teaches a composite tube composed of an inner tube extending through, and spaced from, an outer tube by radial partition walls, and is coiled helically. The helical composite tube coil is housed in a tank having an interior silvered reflective surface, and evacuated to minimize heat loss through the tank wall. A carburetor supplies a combustible gas mixture to one end of the inner tube, the gas mixture burns in the tube, and a centrifugal blower draws the combustion gas through the tube. A vaporizable liquid is supplied under pressure to the end of the outer tube, adjacent to the centrifugal blower, for passage of the vaporizable liquid through the outer tube in the direction opposite the flow of combustion gas through the inner tube for vaporization of the combustible liquid under pressure for producing superheated steam from water.

(4) U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,303 to Gowan et al.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,303—issued to Gowan et al. on Aug. 24, 1999 in U.S. class 165 and subclass 176—teaches a cross-counterflow heat exchanger including a pair of identical, identically-oriented, and spaced manifolds, and a plurality of parallel heat exchanger tubes extending between the manifolds. Each of the manifolds has an interior and longitudinally-extending dividing wall. In a 2n pass heat exchanger, each manifold is symmetric about a mirror plane, the dividing wall is configured to define n+1 upper channels and n lower channels, and the passages of the heat exchanger tubes are divided into 2n flow paths, wherein n is a positive integer. In a 2n+1 pass heat exchanger, each manifold is symmetric about a rotation axis, the dividing wall is configured to define n+1 upper channels and n+1 lower channels, and the passages of the heat exchanger tubes are divided into 2n+1 flow paths, wherein n again is a positive integer. Further, in a 2n pass heat exchanger, the dividing wall of each of the manifolds includes 2n−1 vertical webs, and each of the heat exchanger tubes includes 2n−1 partitions dividing the passages into 2n flow paths. In a 2n+1 heat exchanger, the dividing wall of each of the manifolds includes 2n vertical webs, and each of the heat exchanger tubes includes 2n partitions dividing the passages into 2n+1 flow paths. When the number of vertical webs is greater than 1, i.e., n>1, the vertical webs alternately extend from opposite interior surfaces of the manifold. In both the 2n and the 2n+1 pass heat exchangers, the partitions of the heat exchanger tubes have notches at both ends for engaging the vertical sections of the manifolds. The dividing wall includes two transverse webs extending, outwardly from each vertical web. The transverse webs can be configured as, e.g., planar webs extending diagonally in opposite directions to form a zig-zag pattern—a series of interlocking, alternatingly-oriented Y-shapes, as coplanar webs, or as reverse curves forming a sinusoidal pattern. Different manifold geometries are useable including, but not limited to, circular, oval, flattened oval, and rectangular.

(5) U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,833 to Bouloy.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,833—issued to Bouloy on May 21, 2002 in U.S. class 62 and subclass 277—teaches an evaporator having defrosting capabilities for space-saving and hard-to-reach installations, and for connecting to a condensing unit with a condensing coil and a compressor. The evaporator includes a center tube, a middle tube, and an outer tube. The center tube has a refrigerant inlet for supplying a refrigerant before being evaporated, and conducting the refrigerant in a first direction opposite to the refrigerant inlet of the center tube. The middle tube concentrically receives the center tube, and defines a first passage therebetween for conducting a hot injected gas for performing a mild but positive defrost of the evaporator as the evaporator continues to operate. The outer tube has a length and an end opposite to the refrigerant inlet of the center tube, and concentrically receives the middle tube and defines a second passage therebetween for conducting the refrigerant after evaporation in a second direction opposite to the first direction and along the length of the outer tube, and thereby allowing for heat transfer along the length of the outer tube.

(6) U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,535 to Shembekar et al.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,535—issued to Shembekar et. al. on Oct. 22, 2002 in U.S. class 165 and subclass 140—teaches a fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger including a body having channels side-to-side and extending end-to-end. The channels are capable of directing fluids in alternate and opposite—counter-flow—directions in the body. The body is crimped, adjacent to the ends, so that the fluid is fully enclosed in the body. Fluid entrance and exit openings are in the body so that the alternate channels within the body can enable the fluid to achieve the desired conclusion of the heat exchanger. Manifolds are secured to the heat exchanger so that they communicate with alternate channels within the heat exchanger. Some channels are not of the same cross sectional size so that some channels can move more fluid in a given time and are smaller than other channels.

(7) U.S. Pat. No. 6,883,601 to Ullrich et al.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,883,601—issued to Ullrich et al. on Apr. 26, 2005 in U.S. class 165 and subclass 177—teaches an air-conditioning system for a motor vehicle, which contains a heat exchanger with a heat-exchanger tube that features a profiled central channel and outer channels grouped around the central channel. This heat-exchanger tube is suitable for the construction of counterflow heat exchangers. For this purpose, the heat-exchanger tube is cut to corresponding lengths and provided with corresponding end pieces.

(8) United States Patent Application Publication Number 2005/0161208 to Sucke et al.

United States Patent Application Publication Number 2005/0161208—published to Sucke et al. on Jul. 28, 2005 in U.S. class 165 and subclass 177—teaches a hollow chamber profile made of metal, especially for heat exchangers. The profile is made of an extruded base profile having two broad parallel sides and two narrow sides, or is made of a base profile the is a circular tube-type or coaxial tube-type. At least one channel extends inside the base profile, in the longitudinal direction thereof. The hollow profile has sides and webs that are deformed perpendicular to the longitudinal direction thereof.

It is apparent that numerous innovations for heat exchangers have been provided in the prior art, which are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, nevertheless, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the embodiments of the present invention as heretofore described, namely, a conduit for using only at one end of and for mildly sell-defrosting, an evaporator without causing excessive heat to affect the evaporator or occupants in proximity to the evaporator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, it is an object of the embodiments of the present invention to provide a conduit for using only at one end of, and for mildly self-defrosting, an evaporator without causing excessive heat to affect the evaporator or occupants in proximity to the evaporator, which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.

Briefly stated, another object of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a conduit for using only at one end of, and for mildly self-defrosting, an evaporator without causing excessive heat to affect the evaporator or occupants in proximity to the evaporator, which includes a tube, a refrigerant, and a hot refrigerant gas. The tube includes at least one central passageway, at least one peripheral passageway, at least one intermediate passageway, an end, and a full length. At least one intermediate passageway of the tube is positioned between the at least one central passageway of the tube and the at least one peripheral passageway of the tube. At least one intermediate passageway oldie tube, the at least one central passageway of the tube, and the at least one peripheral passageway of the tube are concentric with each other. The refrigerant flows through the at least one peripheral passageway of the tube, and commences evaporation at the end of the tube so as to allow the tube to remove humidity or moisture from ambient air in close proximity to the tube. The hot refrigerant gas flows through the at least one central passageway of the tube, and blends with the refrigerant flowing through the at least one peripheral passageway of the tube at the end of the tube so as to form a defrosting blend. The defrosting blend causes a mild defrost along the full length of the tube without applying excessive temperatures and/or pressures to the evaporator or additional costs caused by energizing other types of supplementary heat to avoid cold-blow conditions when addressing comfort control, and which occurs very rapidly due to contact of the hot refrigerant gas on the way to the end of the tube and then back through the at least one intermediate passageway of the tube as the blend.

The novel features considered characteristic of the embodiments of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The embodiments of the present invention themselves, however, both as to their construction and to their method of operation together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments of the present invention when read and understood in connection with the accompanying figures of the drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures of the drawing are briefly described as follows:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the conduit of the embodiments of the present invention using only at one end of, and mildly self-defrosting, an evaporator without causing excessive heat to affect the evaporator or occupants in proximity to the evaporator;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic end view taken generally in the direction of ARROW 2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmented diagrammatic perspective view of the conduit of the embodiments of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 but with an outer portion thereof removed; and

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic cross sectional view taken along LINE 4-4 in FIG. 1.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS UTILIZED IN THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWING

A. Introductory.

-   10 conduit of embodiments of present invention for using only at one     end 11 of, and for mildly self-defrosting, evaporator 11 a without     causing excessive heat to affect evaporator 11 a or occupants in     proximity to evaporator 11 a -   11 one end of evaporator 11 a -   11 a evaporator

B. Configuration of conduit 10.

-   12 tube -   14 at least one central passageway of tube 12 -   16 at least one peripheral passageway of tube 12 -   18 at least one intermediate passageway of tube 12 -   20 refrigerant -   22 end of tube 12 -   24 ambient air -   26 hot refrigerant gas -   28 defrosting blend -   29 cylindrically shaped tube of tube 12 -   30 wall thickness of cylindrically shaped tube 29 of tube 12 -   32 plurality of peripheral passageways of at least one peripheral     passageway 16 of tube 12 -   33 plurality of intermediate passageways of at least one     intermediate passageway 18 of tube 12 -   34 one cylindrically shaped inner tube -   35 one central passageway of at least one central passageway 14 of     tube 12 -   36 plurality of radially extending webs -   37 defrost solenoid -   38 thermostat -   40 sensor

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A. Introductory.

Referring now to the figures, in which like numerals indicate like parts, and to FIGS. 1-4, which are, respectively, a diagrammatic perspective view of the conduit of the embodiments of the present invention using only at one end of, and mildly self-defrosting, an evaporator without causing excessive heat to affect the evaporator or occupants in proximity to the evaporator, a diagrammatic end view taken generally in the direction of ARROW 2 in FIG. 1, a fragmented diagrammatic perspective view of the conduit of the embodiments of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 but with an outer portion thereof removed, and a diagrammatic cross sectional view taken along LINE 4-4 in FIG. 1, the conduit of the embodiments of the present invention is shown generally at 10 for using only at one end 11 of, and for mildly self-defrosting, an evaporator 11 a without causing excessive heat to affect the evaporator 11 a or occupants in proximity to the evaporator 11 a.

B. Configuration of the conduit 10.

The conduit 10 comprises a tube 12.

The tube 12 comprises at least one central passageway 14, at least one peripheral passageway 16, and at least one intermediate passageway 18. The at least one intermediate passageway 18 of the tube 12 is positioned between the at least one central passageway 14 of the tube 12 and the at least one peripheral passageway 16 of the tube 12. The at least one intermediate passageway 18 of the tube 12, the at least one central passageway 14 of the tube 12, and the at least one peripheral passageway 16 of the tube 12 are concentric with each other.

The conduit 10 further comprises a refrigerant 20, and the tube 12 has an end 22. The refrigerant 20 flows through the at least one peripheral passageway 16 of the tube 12, and commences evaporation at the end 22 of the tube 12 so as to allow the tube 12 to remove humidity or moisture from ambient air 24 in close proximity to the tube 12.

The tube 12 has a full length, and the conduit 10 further comprises a hot refrigerant gas 26. The hot refrigerant gas 26 flows through the at least one central passageway 14 of the tube 12, and blends with the refrigerant 20 flowing through the at least one peripheral passageway 16 of the tube 12 at the end 22 of the tube 12 so as to form a defrosting blend 28.

The defrosting blend 28 causes a mild defrost along the full length of the tube 12 without applying excessive temperatures and/or pressures to the evaporator or additional costs caused by energizing other types of supplementary heat to avoid cold-blow conditions when addressing comfort control, and which occurs very rapidly due to contact of the hot refrigerant gas 26 on the way to the end 22 of the tube 12 and then back through the at least one intermediate passageway 18 of the tube 12 as the blend 28.

The hot refrigerant gas 26 and the refrigerant 20 flow in a same direction to each other through the tube 12, while the defrosting blend 28 flows in an opposite direction to the hot refrigerant gas 26 and the refrigerant 20 through the tube 12.

The tube 12 is a cylindrically shaped tube 29. The cylindrically shaped tube 29 of the tube 12 has a wall thickness 30.

The at least one peripheral passageway 16 of the tube 12 is a plurality of peripheral passageways 32. The plurality of peripheral passageways 32 of the at least one peripheral passageway 16 of the tube 12 are cylindrically shaped, and extend axially through, and are spaced circumferentially around, the wall thickness 30 of the cylindrically shaped tube 29 of the tube 12.

The at least one intermediate passageway 18 is a plurality of intermediate passageways 33.

The at least one central passageway 14 of the tube 12 is one central passageway 35, and is defined by one cylindrically shaped inner tube 34. The one cylindrically shaped inner tube 34 extends axially within, and is concentric with, the cylindrically shaped tube 29 of the tube 12.

The one cylindrically shaped inner tube 34 is maintained axially within, and concentric with, the cylindrically shaped tube 29 of the tube 12 by a plurality of radially extending webs 36. The plurality of radially extending webs 36 extend radially outwardly from the one cylindrically shaped inner tube 34 to the wall thickness 30 of the cylindrically shaped tube 29 of the tube 12, are spaced-apart from each other so as to define the plurality of intermediate passageways 33 of the at least one intermediate passageway 18, and strengthen and maintain an equidistance between the one cylindrically shaped inner tube 34 and the wall thickness 30 of the cylindrically shaped tube 29 of the tube 12.

The conduit 10 is extruded.

The conduit 10 further comprises a defrost solenoid 37. The defrost solenoid 37 is operatively connected to the one central passageway 35 of the at least one central passageway 14 of the tube 12 so as to open and close communication therewith, and when opened, allows the hot refrigerant gas 26 to flow therethrough.

The conduit 10 further comprises a thermostat 38. The thermostat 38 is operatively connected to the defrost solenoid 37, and sets a temperature at which the defrost solenoid 37 opens the one central passageway 35 of the at least one central passageway 14 of the tube 12 to allow the hot refrigerant gas 26 to flow therethrough.

The conduit 10 further comprises a sensor 40. The sensor 40 is operatively connected to the conduit 10, and determines a temperature thereat, and when the sensor 40 determines sufficient frost to warrant a defrost, the sensor 40 energizes, and opens, the defrost solenoid 37 so as to allow the hot refrigerant gas 26 to flow through the one central passageway 35 of the at least one central passageway 14 of the tube 12, and when the defrost is completed, the sensor 40 causes the defrost solenoid 37 to close.

C. Impressions.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

While the embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described as embodied in a conduit for using only at one end of, and for mildly self-defrosting, an evaporator without causing excessive heat to affect the evaporator or occupants in proximity to the evaporator, nevertheless, they are not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions, and changes in the forms and details of the embodiments of the present invention illustrated and their operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the embodiments of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the embodiments of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt them for various applications without omitting features from the standpoint of prior art fairly constitute characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of the embodiments of the present invention. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A conduit for using only at one end of, and for mildly self-defrosting, an evaporator without causing excessive heat to affect the evaporator or occupants in proximity to the evaporator, comprising: a) a tube; b) a refrigerant; and c) a hot refrigerant gas; wherein said tube comprises at least one central passageway: wherein said tube comprises at least one peripheral passageway: wherein said tube comprises at least one intermediate passageway; wherein said tube has an end; wherein said tube has a full length; wherein said at least one intermediate passageway of said tube is positioned between said at least one central passageway of said tube and said at least one peripheral passageway of said tube; wherein said at least one intermediate passageway of said tube, said at least one central passageway of said tube, and said at least one peripheral passageway of said tube are concentric with each other; wherein said refrigerant flows through said at least one peripheral passageway of said tube; wherein said refrigerant commences evaporation at said end of said tube so as to allow said tube to remove humidity or moisture from ambient air in close proximity to said tube; wherein said hot refrigerant gas flows through said at least one central passageway of said tube; wherein said hot refrigerant gas blends with said refrigerant flowing through said at least one peripheral passageway of said tube at said end of said tube so as to form a defrosting blend; and wherein said defrosting blend causes a mild defrost along said full length of said tube without applying excessive temperatures and/or pressures to the evaporator or additional costs caused by energizing other types of supplementary heat to avoid cold-blow conditions when addressing comfort control, and which occurs very rapidly due to contact of said hot refrigerant gas on the way to said end of said tube and then back through said at least one intermediate passageway of said tube as said blend.
 2. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said hot refrigerant gas and said refrigerant flow in a same direction to each other through said tube; and wherein said defrosting blend flows in an opposite direction to said hot refrigerant gas and said refrigerant through said tube.
 3. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said tube is a cylindrically shaped tube: and wherein said cylindrically shaped tube of said tube has a wall thickness.
 4. The conduit of claim 3, wherein said at least one peripheral passageway of said tube is a plurality of peripheral passageways.
 5. The conduit of claim 4, wherein said plurality of peripheral passageways of said at least one peripheral passageway of said tube are cylindrically shaped.
 6. The conduit of claim 4, wherein said plurality of peripheral passageways of said at least one peripheral passageway of said tube extend axially through said wall thickness of said cylindrically shaped tube of said tube; and wherein said plurality of peripheral passageways of said at least one peripheral passageway of said tube are spaced circumferentially around said wall thickness of said cylindrically shaped tube of said tube.
 7. The conduit of claim 3, wherein said at least one intermediate passageway is a plurality of intermediate passageways.
 8. The conduit of claim 7, wherein said at least one central passageway of said tube is one central passageway; and wherein said one central passageway of said at least one central passageway of said tube is defined by one cylindrically shaped inner tube.
 9. The conduit of claim 8, wherein said one cylindrically shaped inner tube extends axially within said cylindrically shaped tube of said tube; and wherein said one cylindrically shaped inner tube is concentric with said cylindrically shaped tube of said tube.
 10. The conduit of claim 8, wherein said one cylindrically shaped inner tube is maintained axially within, and concentric with, said cylindrically shaped tube of said tube by a plurality of radially extending webs; wherein said plurality of radially extending webs extend radially outwardly from said cylindrically shaped inner tube to said wall thickness of said cylindrically shaped tube of said tube; wherein said plurality of radially extending webs are spaced-apart from each other so as to define said plurality of intermediate passageways of said at least one intermediate passageway; and wherein said plurality of radially extending webs strengthen and maintain an equidistance between said one cylindrically shaped inner tube and said wall thickness of said cylindrically shaped tube of said tube.
 11. The conduit of claim 1, wherein said conduit is extruded.
 12. The conduit of claim 8, further comprising a defrost solenoid.
 13. The conduit of claim 12, wherein said defrost solenoid is operatively connected to said one central passageway of said at least one central passageway of said tube so as to open and close communication therewith, and when opened, allows said hot refrigerant gas to flow therethrough.
 14. The conduit of claim 12, further comprising a thermostat.
 15. The conduit of claim 14, wherein said thermostat is operatively connected to said defrost solenoid; and wherein said thermostat sets a temperature at which said defrost solenoid opens said one central passageway of said at least one central passageway of said tube to allow said hot refrigerant gas to flow therethrough.
 16. The conduit of claim 14, further comprising a sensor.
 17. The conduit of claim 12, wherein said sensor is operatively connected to said conduit; said sensor determines temperature at said conduit; and wherein when said sensor determines sufficient frost to warrant a defrost, said sensor energizes and opens said defrost solenoid so as to allow said hot refrigerant gas to flow through said one central passageway of said at least one central passageway of said tube, and when said defrost is completed, said sensor causes said defrost solenoid to close. 